


Dear Mr. Barrow

by Tortellini



Category: Downton Abbey
Genre: Angst, Angst and Feels, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Awkward Romance, Best Friends, Comfort/Angst, Developing Friendships, Drama & Romance, Enemies to Friends, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Epic Friendship, Eventual Romance, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Heavy Angst, Homophobia, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, Internalized Homophobia, Letters, Light Angst, Love Letters, M/M, Male Friendship, Period-Typical Homophobia, Post-Season/Series 04, Post-Season/Series 05, Romance, Romantic Friendship, Secret Admirer, Secret Crush, Sexuality, Sexuality Crisis, Slow Romance, Wordcount: 500-1.000
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-26
Updated: 2017-05-26
Packaged: 2018-11-04 22:33:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 597
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11000394
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tortellini/pseuds/Tortellini
Summary: (Post S5, Ep1 AU) After Jimmy Kent is fired from Downton Abbey, he and Thomas Barrow write letters back and forth to each other. Without meaning to...they end up revealing things about themselves, and each other.Oneshot





	Dear Mr. Barrow

> _1._

_Dear ~~Thomas~~ Mr. Barrow,_

_I’m sorry I haven’t written earlier. It’s taken me this long to find a place to stay. Now I know that sounds a bit worrying, but really: I assure you I’m fine. I’m at the address I wrote from and please, if you have any free time, write to me._

_I don’t have a proper job yet. I deliver papers sometimes around a few streets in London, but nothing noteworthy. Don’t worry, I’m making enough to live by ~~barely.~~ Nothing fancy, nothing like Downton. But I couldn’t live and work there forever, so maybe this is a blessing, right? Don’t worry: I’m happy._

_I know I said this earlier, asked this earlier, but how are you, Mr. Barrow? Any schemes to talk of? Christ, I miss standing outside in the evening, smoking ~~with you~~. I’ve had to give up smoking because ~~I couldn’t afford it~~ the doc said it was bad for my health. Can you believe that? Ridiculous, and I told him so, but I’ve given it up. _

_I miss Downton. I miss everyone there. I hope they’re doing well. I hope they’re happy. ~~I hope you’re happy, Mr. Barrow: remember what I told you before I left? Of course you do. I’m not exactly--well, I mean I’ve been happier. But I hope one of us is happy. I know I had to leave, know I had to pay the price, so don’t second guess it. And the night of the fire. I never got to tell you this, I don’t think, but I don’t blame you. You saved Lady Edith’s life; and I know you tried to save me too. You’re good like that. I don’t blame you--it was my own stupid mistake--and I truly hope you don’t blame yourself.~~_

_Christ, do I sound like a sap. I just crossed so much out that I should really think before writing. Or perhaps I should just start a new letter. I wrote ‘don’t worry’ like you might actually be worrying, which made me chuckle. I forgot for a moment the business of Downton and being in Service: you don’t have time to worry about me._

_Well, I better let you go. I’ll write a longer letter next time, but I just wanted to let you lot know I’m not dead._

_If you have time, write to me. Please. Give everyone my love._

_Yours,_

_James Kent_

 

> 2\.  

_Dear Jimmy,_

_You don’t know how good it is to hear from you. I must admit, some people were beginning to wonder if you’d write at all. Or if you were even all right. Of course I had utter faith in you. I knew you’d write when you found the time._  

_I’ve been well. You made me smile when you mentioned schemes, but I’m not planning anything new at the moment. Haven’t had a partner in crime, to be honest: you’re gone, we’re not even going to talk about Miss O’Brien, and believe it or not Miss Baxter is completely unwilling to do anything unsavory. … And that just sounded like I wanted to attack her._  

_And gossip. Honestly, nothing new. I’m sorry: I bet it’s terribly boring there, but nothing has happened recently. How are you? Did you find a better job yet? And I don’t care what you say: I do worry for you, James. ~~Yes, I am busy, but I think about you.~~_

_Er let’s see, what else. Christ, I’m so boring. My apologies: I promise I’ll write a much better letter next time. Write me soon._

_Yours,_

_Thomas Barrow_


End file.
